Al-Hilal have welcomed warmly Malawian midfielder Gerald Phiri Junior back to the Sudan football club.
“Gerald Phiri is BACK. Lets work,” Al-Hilal, who are coached by Joao Mota, tweeted on Tuesday.
“We are preparing and continuing our preparations with high concentration for the upcoming competitions.”
Phiri has returned to the Khartoum side after he reportedly announced his retirement from international football through his manager.
The former South Africa’s Baroka FC player announced through his management firm Siyavuma that he had quit the Flames.
Phiri quit hours after the Flames head of technical Mario Marinica left out the player from the final 23-member Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad and placed him on five-member reserve list.
The winger was a regular for Malawi, then under coach Meck Mwase, and his goals helped the team to seal a place at the AFCON finals.
Mwase was demoted as Malawi FA opted for Marinica to take charge of the team at AFCON, citing tactical deficiencies noted in the World Cup qualifiers in which the Flames won once and lost five games.
Phiri is now focusing on Al-Hilal who are fine-tuning for the new season in Sudan and also the CAF Champions League group stage matches against domestic rivals El-Merrick, Mamemodi Sundowns and Al Ahly.
Last week, Siyavuma Sports’ official Paul Mitchell was quoted in Malawi’s The Daily Times that the Al-Hilal’s new signing had called it quits.
“Having deliberated the decision overnight, discussing it with myself and his family, Gerald has made the decision to retire from international football with immediate effect and return to Al-Hilal as soon as possible to prepare for the upcoming seasin and the CAF Champions League,” Mitchell wrote.
Phiri signed for Al-Hilal months ago from Baroka FC.
He made his debut for Malawi in 2015 at the Cosafa Cup held in South Africa.
Four years later, the towering player was named Cosafa Player of the Year also in South Africa after also emerging as top scorer while then on loan at Ajax Cape Town where he was on loan from Bidvest Wits.
The 28-year-old is the son of former Malawian international and senior national team coach Gerald Phiri Senior.
He launched his professional career at Mighty Wanderers in Malawi before signing for Caps United in Zimbabwe then Wits during which time he spent loans at Platinum Stars (SA) and Township Rollers (Botswana).
Phiri has been the biggest casualty of the Romanian Marinica, who is in charge of the Flames at AFCON following the demotion of Mwase.
Phiri Junior was dropped from the squad alongside second-choice goalkeeper Brighton Munthali.